By Adam Hartzer ’23
Layout Editor
In the first semester of the 2020-21 academic year, Lake Forest College will unveil an exciting new program for students interested in the health sciences.
Known as the Health Professions Program, or HPP, this innovative program “provides a core curriculum and a set of articulated pathways into graduate programs that will prepare students to join a 21st-century workforce,” according to a statement from Senior Director for Science Partnerships and Professor and Chair of Biology Shubhik DebBurman. The Health Professions Program is “a distinctive response to increasing student interest in healthcare careers, significant employment growth in this sector, as well as our strong relationship and collaborative synergy with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science,” said DebBurman.
Students that participate in this program will be exposed to a wide array of careers in the health-related field, while simultaneously gaining critical knowledge that will prepare them for a successful transition to graduate and professional programs at Rosalind Franklin University (RFU). Most notably, the Health Professions Program at Lake Forest College will offer “early admission decisions into RFU graduate and professional programs for those who meet the appropriate benchmarks,” according to DebBurman. Examples of the programs available at RFU include “Allopathic Medicine (MD), Clinical Nutrition (MS), Health Promotion and Wellness (MS), Nutrition Education (MS) … Cell Biology and Anatomy (MS, PhD), Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology (MS, PhD), Microbiology and Immunology (MS, PhD), Neuroscience (MS, PhD), Physiology and Biophysics (MS, PhD) … Physician Assistant Practice (MS), Psychology (PhD), … Health Administration (MS), and Population Health (MS).”
Over the last 12 months, a workgroup consisting of DebBurman, Professor of History Anna Trumbore Jones, Professor of Biology Karen Kirk, Professor of Mathematics and Chair of Computer Science DeJuran Richardson, Professor of Physics Scott Schappe, and representatives from Rosalind Franklin University developed the Health Professions Program. The program is designed to foster and support students from any major—whether they are interested in the traditional pre-health or other tracks, such as Healthcare Administration or Public Health.
The program is designed to blend the College’s liberal arts education and sciences with a broad range of health professions. To accomplish this, the Health Professions Program’s curriculum revolves around three main pillars: the Science Core, the Science and Health from an Interdisciplinary Perspective Core (SHIP Core), and the Experiential Core. The Science Core includes four courses in the natural and social sciences, math, and computer science, whereas the SHIP Core encompasses two interdisciplinary courses in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. To then satisfy the Experiential Core portion, students must successfully accomplish two required components; both a seminar series at RFU and a “capstone project.”
Below you can find specifics relating to the program’s curriculum requirements:
Graphic By: Adam Hartzer
“HPP will be administered by a Steering Committee comprised of a small group of faculty appointed annually by Faculty Personnel and Policies Committee and led by the Senior Director for Science Partnerships, and [the program] would work closely with the Office of Admissions, Center for Academic Success, and Career Advancement Center to achieve recruitment, retention, and career development and placement outcomes,” according to DebBurman’s statement.
Students interested in applying to the Health Professions Program are asked to submit a short essay describing their interests and motivations to study health-related professions in either of the program’s fall or spring application windows. Upon entry, students must maintain a minimum semester GPA and progression through the program’s requirements to continue participating in the program.
Program information sessions will be held via Zoom over the next two weeks. (Click the links below to join the sessions, which will be held in Central time.)
Join Meeting 1: 7-8 pm, April 1
Join Meeting 2: 4-5 pm, April 2
Join Meeting 3: 4-5 pm, April 3
Join Meeting 4: 4-5 pm, April 6
Join Meeting 5: 7-8 pm, April 7
Visit the program’s website for more information: https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/programs/health-professions/
